Vanderbilt player charged with landing drone in Nashville's Fourth of July crowd

Tennessean | Jul 9

Vanderbilt football player Sam Dobbs was charged with misdemeanor reckless endangerment when he landed a drone in a large crowd in downtown Nashville on Fourth of July night, according to Metro police.

Police said Dobbs flew his drone at 9:55 p.m. Tuesday over a large crowd in the First Avenue and Gay Street area during Nashville’s Let Freedom Sing Celebration, an event that drew an estimated 240,000 people. He was among 17 individuals charged with various crimes during the celebration.

Dobbs, a junior tight end from Douglasville, Ga., had six receptions for 73 yards and one touchdown last season. He will be punished internally by coach Derek Mason, according to Vanderbilt spokesman Kyle Parkinson.

It’s not the first time Dobbs has made headlines with a drone. In April, Dobbs created a parody sorority recruitment video entitled “VF Sorority,” or Vanderbilt Football Sorority, featuring Commodores players and aerial clips shot from a camera on a drone.